CBA Resources to Get Prepared for .bank Domain Name Availability

General informationDecember 11, 2014

Thousands of new domains – including .bank – are making their way to the Internet. The American Bankers Association partnered with banking industry participants to establish fTLD Registry Services to operate .bank and ensure it is governed in the best interests of banks and their customers. Only verified members of the banking community will be able to register .bank domains.

For more information, download the .bank brochure, which contains FAQs and a timeline. We’ll continue to update our members as new information and important dates become available about the .bank initiative. In the meantime, you can also sign up for updates from us here.

Why .bank?

.bank will be a protected, trusted and easily identifiable space on the Internet for banks and the customers they serve. Only verified members of the banking community will be able to register a .bank domain.

Powered by Verisign, the new domain will have a higher level of security than non-financial domains and adhere to 31 strict standards developed by ABA and its partners in fTLD Registry Services. In addition to strict registration requirements, the new domain will help prevent users from being redirected to fake bank websites, make it more difficult for criminals to create spoofed emails from a .bank website and provide a higher level of encryption. These features will enhance customer trust in an era of increasing cybersecurity threats.

The .com world has become overcrowded, making it difficult for banks to stand out. The new .bank domain opens up much needed virtual real estate and provides new marketing and branding opportunities.

.bank Timeline

Trademark Registration PeriodPrior to May 15, 2015
Register with ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse in advance of the sunrise period if you own the trademark on the name to the left of your .com or .net address.

Sunrise Period(Estimated) May 15-June 14, 2015
Only trademark holders who have registered their bank’s trademark with ICANN’s Trademark Clearinghouse may purchase domains during the sunrise period. For more information about the Trademark Clearinghouse, see our FAQs.

General Availability(Estimated) June 15, 2015 – Ongoing
Only verified members of the banking community will be eligible for a .bank domain. Domains will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Beth Mills joined CBA in 2008, bringing with her nearly 10 years of communications experience. Beth is responsible for all internal and external communications for CBA, and serves as the association’s spokesperson. Prior to joining CBA, Beth was appointed by the governor and served as the Assistant Deputy Director of Public Affairs in the California Department of General Services where she managed all media contacts and served as the department’s spokesperson on the key department issues.